Steam hydrator



May 27, 1952 R. M. scHULTz 2,598,447

STEAM HYDRATOR Filed Dec. 31, 1948 2 sl-IEE'rS-SHEET 1 /0 l/ /8 I6 Ii l1 /13 1//4 24 v. -f/ l5 /f/fz IN VEN TOR.

Roy /7Z. Schulz? BY ZW,@.1

May 27, 1952 R. M. scHULTz STEAM HYDRATOR 2 SHEETSQS'HEET 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1948 .ZJ www@ N mn@ m, JM m Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT ortiesv 2,598,447 v sriiAM HYDRATOR Roy`M Sfchlilg"Chicago,v Ill., as sigynor to Davulr A. Freeirian'corporation, chicago. m. a. www

ration of'lllinois'= Aineatin'nece'mterfs1, 1924.8, serial No. 685717,

(o1. 29ee843 simple? and 'relatively inexpensive" apparatus vrequil-ing no moving parts, valves or other moving mechanism' in the steam and water chamber and no elaborate system of valves, levers; lpiping or thelilief'onthe` outside, andI Whlichfis practical and of long life.

A'rurther object ofthe invention is to provide a simple steam nipple lco'ninunieating with the interior'oi thest'eam chamber and having afixe'd water'pipe' connection to the Water of condensation inthe bottom'of the chamber or? reservoir therefor whereby. stealnr with the desired Water content may be discharged through a'suitable outlet conduit connected to the'other end of the nipple.

A still further object is the'provision of a simple steam suction nipple connected directly with the steam chamber and having a water pipe connection-tothe Vwater supply-so that the-passagey of the steam through the nipple may;v suck its water content from the reservoirI and diffuses it throughout the discharged steam.

Further objects and advantages of the invention,v including several specific forms of the-nipple and its arrangement will appear from the description and claims toffollow in connection with" the accompanying drawings which illustrate vthe apparatus, by'wayof eam'ple. but notv of limitation, and several specific forms of the nipple,v and in'which" Figure 1 isa' view'of an' ironing-table with a steam hydrator 'of this invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional' View'on'ah enlarged scale of the steam-'condensing chamber and water mixer or injector and outlet valve,`as used in Fig. 1; v l l FigjB is a similar sectional View or diier'en't forio'f steam-containing chambeand Vei'ituriw typ ofV injector or mixer;y and Figi. 4 is a similar Sectionai View' ofl'a. diirer'ent arrangement of condenser chamber and Venturi typejinjector.- Y

Referring first to Fig. 1, a spotting tableur head, generally indicated by l0,.- is supported'by columnor columns Il and-a suitable base l2.v To the -lear of the table, suitably `'secured in` any desire'dvv-ay; isa steam vand condensing chamber l 3,

which is enclosed and' connected toor'in'titleA Segment we@ meinten am theorieso1`ietl`1rn pipe i6,- the'latte'rextendigabove the f 2 bottom' or thethambejr. as sncwninrigggzk to cause a quantityjof water of conden'sationfto'coli-ij lect therein beforeVV overflowing-'into pi-'pe I5 AandM which reservoir water may bejwithdravvn for hy?A drating the steam for application to theigarments* or material on'the bed 6. l*

5 is.; loatedrhdthi'sf is ,C'Oii tubfe- 41?: with theharrdmanipulatecl nozzle le; which is preferably as Y ccntro'll'edby"thefvalve it,- thong-fN ,L ience a lever- IS may'be'piovided" on hehg'eadil': The iexibleftube, when not irr' usci K over forked -si'ipportl rising fr0. Vthtabl o'` bedl'; The stpcontrolvalvelimaybeop by the depression `of-footA pedal- -2-I near the `f of the machine, which foot pedal-2i is connected by shaft 22 WithK'a-.levr 'Afand li rod 2t` withfthe short cross lever '25:11 Leve maybe pivoted at 5l on brackttlpojectm from the housing of stop valve Ii Theout'er" of -lever'E Vmay Ystrald-le valve' steinA 26""betw upperandloWicoIlars 26' for f 1 'dil ingwalv'einemberl. l The bod'1 neeted/ at "onef'sideto the lnoval'o he' pressurejonth D ldal-H vri'e'si'ilt trieciosifng or the Avalve-2.11th'ru"g1gif-egag v of` lower collar 2S bythe end fjleve-'nZS f T may be readily done by ais' itblecounterweight or counterweights on the pecl,` for"shaft'for-"by springsattachd'thertmfh `al 'i tightly closes-onits:l ais'ed-ajnnular se l Thesteam mixerfcr injector? co prisesftl'e* singleltubularmember or nipple 2f bly sel Cefd HSW theednsii .the i916 0f 'plat .29 0 the 'f' valve box'or'nchamberV I3.- 'Ifhe vvalve 'linayf be threaded onthe'upper end of 'thistubegor"cylinfder 28, as indicated. The lower part of this nipplej" within thechramber is is 'provided with api ra y cfg-inlet ports or passages ist, preferably cyl i' cal and spaced four in and'jQOf" 1 around the" Circieof thetbe, and thea5A ci which are at substantially 30j to the af sof the" nf nr end or tube 32 projects 11e" above the lowermost limits of the openings of ports 3U into the bore 3 I.

With this arrangement, when the stop valve member 2l is raised sufficiently by the foot pedal, the steam rushes through the inclined ports 38 in the tube 28. This tends to reduce the pressure and produce a vacuum eifeot at the end of tube 32, causing a suction thereon which, under the condition of the pressure in the tank and on the water, causes the water to be injected from the bore 34 of the pointed tube into the steam jet and to mix therewith to produce the desired wet steam at the spray head and nozzle I8.

In the form of steam hydrator of Fig. 3, the steam and condensing chamber corresponding to chamber I3 of Figs. l and 2 comprises two chambers 35 and 36, suitably supported with respect to the bed IIJ, the steaminlet 31 and the return pipe 33 being connected, as shown, to the larger receptacle 35. The two chambers are connected near the bottoms by a suitable pipe connection 33. The return pipe 3S provides an overflow to limit the height of the water of condensation 4U, indicated by dashed lines, in the two chambers 35 and 38. The chamber 33, being separated from chamber 35, is somewhat cooler.

In this case the nipple 4I having a Venturi type bore or passage 42 through it, is suitably secured at one end to the steam chamber 35 near the top and extends over the top of chamber 36. At the opposite end, the nipple is connected by angle coupling 43 and short pipe 44 with the stop valve I3 as in the case of Figs. i and 2. At the reduced portion of the bore 42 of nipple 4I, the upper end of tube 54 is suitably connected and extends down through packing gland 45 into the chamber 3E and into the water 4B, as indicated. The relatively small bore 46 in the tube 54 opens into the nipple 4I at the restricted portion of its bore 42 so that on sufficiently opening the stop valve I6 by the pedal, the steam rushes out through the nipple 4I and produces an effective vacuum effect in the said restricted portion in the well known manner which sucks the water up through the bore 46 of the tube 54. This water mixes with the high velocity steam and is carried thereby through the ilexible hose to produce a moist steam to be ejected at the nozzle I8 upon the garment being treated.

In the arrangement of Fig. 4, the nipple 4'1 with which its Venturi type passage 48 and water tube connection 49 are all inside the single chamber D corresponding to chamber I3 in Figs. i and 2 and chambers 35 and 36 of Fig. 3, the nipple being connected to and through the side wall of the chamber 5I! and by angle coupling 5I, .pipe 52, to the valve I6 in the same manner as in the other iigures.

In this iigure the reservoir 5G is not shown complete, but it would have inlet and return steam pipes connected therewith as in the other figures and maintain a body composed of water 4I! therein as before.

Here, also, the opening of stop valve suii'iciently will result in a stream of high velocity steam out of the nipple 41, the suction ci the water up into the restricted Venturi passage and its mixture with the steam in the issuing stream and which is carried through the hose and discharged at the spray nozzle as wet steam.

In all the foregoing forms, the simple nipple and simple plain water pipe connection result in a means for spraying dry steam by partially opening the control valve IIi by the foot pedal or steam of the desired degree of wetness by openingthe said valve still further'. It is extremely simple, efcient and of relatively low cost.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge,

readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions of service, Without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim;

l. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple connected through a wall of said chamber and communicatingwith the interior thereof, said nipple having therein a suction-producing region upon the passage through the nipple or steam at a relatively high velocity, a water outlet pipe connected to said nipple at said region and connected with the water in the lower part of'said reservoir, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple, and a valve to control the flow of steam and thereby the water through said conduit according to the extent of opening of said valve.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple carried in a wall of said chamber and communicating with the interior thereof, said nipple having therein a region of reduced pressure upon the passage through the nipple of steam at high velocity, a water outlet pipe connected to said nipple at said region and inside said chamber and extending down into the water in the reservoir, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple, and a valve to control the flow of steam and thereby the water through said conduit according to the extent of opening of said valve.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a suction-producing nipple connected through a wall of said chamber and communicating with the interior thereof, a water outlet pipe connected to said nipple and with the water in the lower part of said reservoir, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple, and a valve in said conduit to control the flow of steam and thereby the water therethrough according to the extent of opening of said valve, the great' Ier the volume of steam passing through the conduit the greater the suction in the nipple until the water is raised and discharged thereinto and becomes mixed with the steam.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple connected through a wall of said chamber and communicating with the interior thereof, said nipple having a suction-producing steam passage therethrough, a Water outlet pipe from the reservoir connected to said nipple at substantially the suction point thereof, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end 'of said nipple whereby when steam is discharged in sufficient volume through said conduit Water from the reservoir is sucked into and mixed with the steam in the nipple and the mixture discharge through said conduit, and a valve for controlling the volume of ilow of the steam through said conduit,

and a valve for controlling the volume of flow of the steam through said conduit according to the extent of opening of said valve.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple having a Venturi-like passage therethrough connected with the said steam chamber, a water connection from the said reservoir to the said nipple at the throat of said Venturi passage, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple whereby the steam issuing through said conduit at suicient velocity draws water thereinto through said water connection and discharges the mixture as wet steam, and a valve for controlling the flow of steam and thereby the Water through said conduit according to the extent of opening ofk said valve.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple within the chamber having a Venturi-like passage therethrough opening into the said steam chamber, a water connection from the said reservoir to the said nipple at the -throat of said Venturi passage, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple whereby the steam issuing through said conduit at suiicient velocity draws water thereinto through said water connection and discharges the mixture as wet steam, and a valve for controlling the flow of steam and thereby the water through said conduit according to the extent of opening of said valve.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple outside the chamber having a Venturi-like passage therethrough opening into the said steam chamber, a water connection from the said reservoir to the said nipple at the throat of said Venturi passage, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple whereby the steam issuing through said conduit at sucient v-elocity draws water thereinto through said water connection and discharges the mixture as wet steam, and a valve for controlling the flow of steam and thereby the water through said conduit according to the extent of opening of said valve.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and Water reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple connected with said chamber and having a central bore with angular steam passages thereinto pointing in the direction of iiow of steam therethrough, a water pipe connection into the said central bore and communicating therewith adjacent the openings of said angular passages into the central bore, said water pipe connecting into the water in the said reservoir, and a steam discharge conduit connected with the outlet end of said nipple,

a manually controlled valve in said conduit, the steam flowing through the said passages and out through the said bore and through the outlet conduit in suflicient volume when the said Valve is opened widely to cause a stream of water from said pipe to be injected into and mixed with steam in the bore and the outlet conduit, the steam issuing in a dry condition when the valve is opened to a less extent.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water reservoir, an auxiliary water receptacle connected with said reservoir, a steam supply connected with said chamber, a nipple having a Venturi-like passage therethrough having its inner end connected with said steam chamber, a water pipe connected at one end with said nipple at the throat thereof and extending at its other end into said auxiliary receptacle belowl the wat-er level therein, a steam discharge conduit connected with the outer end of said nipple, and a valve controlling th-e passage of steam through said conduit, the flow of steam through said nipple at high velocity upon widely opening the valve causing water to be drawn from the water pipe and to mix with the steam issuing from the conduit.

10, In apparatus of the class described, a steam chamber and water of condensation reservoir, a steam supply connected With said chamber, a suction nipple carried in a wall of said chamber and communicating with th-e interior thereof, a water pipe connection from said nipple to the lower part of the water reservoir, a valve casing connected with the .outer end of said nipple, a manually operated valve in said casing and causing the ow of dry steam or mixed steam and water therethrough according tothe extent of opening or" the Valve, and a discharge conduit connected with said valve casing.

ROY M. SCHULTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 128,368 De Luce June 25, 1872 1,137,626 Jackson Apr. 27, 1915 1,185,888 .Durham et al June 6, 1916 1,537,324 Sherman May 12, 1925 1,923,422 Conley et al Aug. 22, 1933 2,039,275 McGrael Apr. 28, 1936 2,157,581 Wheeler May 9, 1939 2,340,832 Damme et al Feb. 1, 1944 2,346,821 Cissell Apr. 18, 19414` 2,363,956 Glover, Jr. Nov. 28,1944 2,391,663 Weber et al Dec. 25, 1945 2,445,592 Yanchenko July 20, 1948 

